Water and milk are now the "default beverage" on kid's menus in California, thanks to a new law that experts say is a public health win against the devastating effects of sugary drinks. The Healthy-By-Default Kids’ Meal Beverages Act, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2019, makes California (39.1% Latino) the first state to require water or milk as the beverage automatically offered with kids’ meals at restaurants, according to Voices For Healthy Kids. The change also bans the display of sugary drinks on kid's menus and ads.
A Win For California Parents
The new law is the first of its kind. Bipartisan legislators and health advocates supported the law, including Public Health Advocates, a Voices For Healthy Kids grantee. Latino Coalition for a Healthy California also showed ...
Latino and all parents are purchasing fast food for their children more frequently in recent years, while 75% of kids meals still come with an unhealthy drink or side, according to a recent study by the UCONN Rudd Center for Food and Obesity. Fast-food consumption is linked to poor diet quality in youth. The new study examined parents’ reported fast-food purchases for their children ages 2-11 and changes over time, in light of several fast-food restaurants recently adopting policies to offer healthier drinks and/or sides with their kids’ meals. Parents were surveyed in 2010, 2013, and 2016 about fast-food purchases at McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, or Subway. The 2016 survey also covered KFC, Dairy Queen, and Panera Bread. The findings are unsettling.
Findings: ...
A price increase in sugary drink is proven to reduce consumption, according to a Salud America! Research Review. Sugary drink taxes have bubbled up in cities across the country, like Philadelphia's tax that has reduced consumption and Berkeley's tax that has generated money for health programs. But before the U.S. midterm election Nov. 6, 2018, Big Soda giants like Coke spent millions on deceptive marketing campaigns to fight sugary drink tax measures, according to reports by NPR, the New York Times, and Vox. Experts say Big Soda is taking cues from the tobacco industry’s playbook by supporting ballot measures and state laws that block governments from passing new taxes on food and drinks as well as cultivating relationships with doctors and scientists. What happened to the ...
What are your plans for this coming halloween? If you have children, chances are many of them will be trick-or-treating for candy and other sugar-loaded treats. While its OK to enjoy a sweet treat from time to time, as a community it's also important to recognize the consequences that arise with easy access to products high in added sugars, and having less access to healthier options. Recently, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommended that children over 2 years of age should consume no more than 6 teaspoons/day of added sugars. Yet most children have up to 19 teaspoons/day. Among Latino kids, this number may be even higher. Join us this #SaludTues on Tuesday, October 23, 2018, to find out how to take action and tweet about the Impact of Sugar and Healthier ...
In Philadelphia, the 1.5-cent-per-ounce Sweetened Beverage Tax on sugary drinks took effect January 2017. The tax aims to reduce sugary drink consumption and raise funds for health and education programs, such as expanding pre-kindergarten programs and improving parks. The tax also offered a tax credit for companies that sell healthy beverages. Sugary drinks—soda, sports and energy drinks, sugary fruit juices, and flavored milk—contribute to the obesity and related health disparities facing U.S. Latino kids, according to a Salud America! Research Review. The beverage industry challenged the tax, calling it unconstitutional. In July 2018, the tax was upheld. But did it work as intended?
Update on Soda Tax: It’s Working!
The National Bureau of Economic Research has ...
Want to help help Latino and all kids achieve good health? Check out new research that identifies several key ways to reduce sugary drink consumption among children ages 0-5. The research, published in July 2018 in the journal Obesity Reviews by Healthy Eating Research, analyzed 27 studies that assessed an intervention to decrease sugary drink consumption is high-income countries. "Overall, evidence suggests that interventions successful at reducing SSB consumption among 0- to 5-year-olds often focused on vulnerable populations, were conducted in preschool/daycare settings, specifically targeted only SSBs or only oral hygiene, included multiple intervention strategies, and had higher intervention intensity/contact time," according to the research.
Strategy Suggestions From The ...
Did you know Latino kids consume more sugary drinks than the average kid? Finally, there's some good news for Latino and all kids and families in Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court voted to uphold the city's sweetened beverage tax in July 2018. The tax is the first of its kind in a big city. It aims to reduce sugary drink consumption and raise funds for health and education. “Today’s Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutionality of Philadelphia’s sweetened beverage tax is a major victory for the city’s children and families," wrote Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, in a statement.
The Philly Sweetened Beverage Tax
Sugary drinks—soda, sports and energy drinks, sugary fruit juices, and flavored milk—contribute to the ...
Water is a key ingredient for every good Fourth of July party, whether you are poolside, at the beach, or at a family barbecue on this sweltering summer day. That's because drinking water can keep you hydrated as you sweat outside. Sweating during the sizzling heat of July can lower the body's water level. This can cause dehydration. It can affect normal bodily functions in the heart, brain, and lungs. So how much water do the experts order? "To avoid dehydration, active people should drink at least 16- 20 ounces of fluid one to two hours before an outdoor activity. After that, you should consume 6 to 12 ounces of fluid every 10 to 15 minutes that you are outside," according to the Cleveland Clinic website. "When you are finished with the activity, you should drink more. How ...
Obese Latino children who consume at least two servings of any type of cow’s milk daily are more likely to have lower fasting insulin, indicating better blood sugar control, according to a new study. The study points to milk's importance for kids, despite its declining consumption. U.S. milk consumption has consistently fallen over the past few decades. Adolescent consumption dropped by nearly half – to less than a cup daily – between 1977 and 2006, according to the USDA. “Our findings indicate that obese children who consume at least the daily recommended amount of milk may have more favorable sugar handling and this could help guard against metabolic syndrome,” Dr. Michael Yafi, the study’s first author and professor of pediatrics at McGovern Medical School at ...
